Type-writing machine.



A. w. SMITH. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. 1914.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

HISTTEIRNEY A. W. SMITH.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-$1914.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

2- SHEETSSHEET 2.

wrmaaszi INVENTDR:

HISATTDRNEV ARTHUR W. SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO REMINGTON TYPEWBITER C01\'I'ANY, 0F ILION, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Iatented Nov. 23, 1915.

Original application filed April 25, 1913, Serial No. 763,532. Divided and this application filed February 5,

1914. Serial No. 816,757. 4

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR W. SMITH, citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to typewriting machines and more particularly to the case shift mechanism of such machines, and it has for its principal object to provide improved mechanism of that character.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement whereby the type barsystem is made capable of being shifted without disturbing the keys.

To the aboveends my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all of which will be fully set forth herein and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front to rear vertical sectional view-of enough of a typewriting machine to illustrate the embodiment of my invention therein. Fig. '2 is a fragmentary view similar to part of Fig. 1 but on a section taken nearer to'the left-hand side of the machine. 3 isa front view in vertical section a little in front of the type bar segment, the platen being indicated in broken lines. Fig. 4 is a partial top plan view partly in horizontal section below the type bar segment. Fig. 5 is a more or less fragmentary view showing the type bar segment shifted to its upper position and one of the middle type bars in printing position Fig. 6 is a similar view but showing the segment in its lowest position.

All of the figures of the drawing are on a reduced scale.

The present application is a division of my prior application filed April 25th, 191%,

Serial No. 763,582. The present case contains the claims on the case shift mechanism, the claims to the type action being retained in the parent case above identified.

The main frame of the machine shown in the drawings, comprises a base part 1. corner posts 2 and two frame bars 3. each of which Fig.

connects the top of one of the front posts 2 with the top of the corresponding back post 2. Each of these bars is formed with a U- shaped part 1, Fig. 1, to accommodate the rails and other devices not shown herein but associated with acarriage in which is mounted a platen 5. The two bars 3 are connected in the forward part of the machine by a front top plate 6 and in the rear part by another top plate 7. The plate 6 is formed with two side plates between which is a well or opening for the type bars to strike up through and said side plates are connected across the front of said opening by an integral cross bar 8.

The type action comprises printing keys 10 mounted on the forward ends of key levers 11 of the first order, which are pivoted on fixed pivot rods 12, one rod for each of the three banks of keys, and which at their rear ends are connected by uprightlinks 13 with sub-levers 14 which in turn are connected by links 15 with front strike type bars 16. The construction is such that when one of the keys 10*is depressed the corresponding link 13 is pushed upward, rocking the sub-lever 14 and causing the link 15 to pull toward the rear on the type bar 16, throwing it to the printing point. In the present instance, each of the type bars has three types 17 thereon, and the segment 18, which constitutes the shiftable support of said type bars, is capable of being shifted from the normal middle position shown in Fig. 1 to either of two shifted positions shown respectively in Figs. 5 and 6.

The three stationary rods 12 on which the key levers 11 are mounted, extend crosswise in the base of the machine as shown in the drawings, the levers being spaced apart on each rod by sleeves 19, Fig. 3. These rods 12 are mounted at their ends in brackets 20 extending upward from a transverse frame bar 21 secured by means of screws 22, Fig. 4, to the two side bars of the base 1 of the main frame. As the system of type bars is narrower than the system of keys. the key levers 11 fan in toward the rear of the machine as indicated in Fig. 4, that is to say, said key lovers are a little closer together at their rear ends than at their forward ends. Returning springs 24 for the key levers are shown connected with the rear ends of said levers.

The sub-levers 14 may be mounted and arranged in any one of a variety of ways. For example, the said sub-levers can be ar ranged in the arc of a circle to correspond with the arc of the type bars, but under those conditions the links 13 would be of different lengths. In the present instance,

however, I have shown the sub-levers arranged in a straight row and all pivoted on a straight pivot wire 30 seated in a groove 31 in the rear 'face of a cross bar 32, said cross bar being formed at itsrear side also with a series of vertical slots in which the sub-levers are guided. The links 15 are connected with the type bars above the pivots of the latter.

As far as my invention is concerned, the type bars can be pivoted in the segment 18 in any suitable manner. As here shown the rear part of said segment is formed with radial slots 33 in which the type bars are guided, and said type bars are pivoted on a wire 34 lying in a slot 35 cut in the segment 18, and said wire is secured in place by screws 36, Figs. 1 and 3, threaded into the upper surfaces of the end parts of the segment and having'broad heads which overlap the ends of the wire.

The case shift motion could be imparted either to the segment 18 or to the platen 5, but I have preferred to shift the segment. To this end saidsegment constitutes part of a shift frame, being supported at its ends on arms or bars 37, (Fig. 1). These bars extend to the segment 18 from the rear, said bars being rigid with the cross bar 32, so that the segment 18.which constitutes the supports for the type bars and the cross bar 32 which constitutes the support for the sublevers, both form parts of one rigid shiftable frame. Said frame also comprises arms 40 which extend backward and upward from the bar 32 and at their upper rear, ends are pivoted at 41 to the stationary frame-work. This rigid shift frame is of such form that it is easily made as an integral casting. In

the present instance the pivots 41 consist of the reduced inner ends of pins which are mounted in posts 42 where they are secured adjustably by means of set screws 43. The posts 42 project upward from parts 44 that extend inward from the rear ends of the frame bars 3, so that said posts 42 are, in effect, extensions of said frame bars.

A type rest 46, consisting of a segmental channel-shaped piece of metal with a pad 47 mounted in it, is mounted on the forward ends of arms 18 which project toward the front of the machine from the segment 18, so that said arms and the type rest constitute parts of the shiftable frame in which the type bars and sub-levers are mounted. Said shiftable frame may be provided with any suitable spring to assist in supporting the weight of said frame. In the present instance a spring 50 has its rear end connected with the lower part of the segment 18 and its forward end is connected with an adjusting screw 51 which passes through a comb-plate 52 which guides the key levers just back of the keyboard.

The two pivots 41 define a transverse horizontal pivotal axis about which the shift frame is adapted to swing. Said axis preferably lies, at least substantially, inthe plane which also includes the axis of the platen 5 and the printing point on the front face of said platen. As said printing point in the present instance is located directly and horizontally in front of the axis of the platen, the plane above described is a horizontal plane and the axis of the shift frame is situated horizontally in the rear of the platen axis. It will, of course, be understood that it is not essential that the axis of the shift frame be absolutely in this plane but there are important advantages about having it substantially so, or at least so that one point of the axis of the shift frame is substantially in the line through the printing point and which intercepts the axis of the platen at right angles.

It will be perceived that the shift frame is readily detachable, so that in the manufacture of the machine, the type bar and sublever system and the links 15, can all be assembled in said frame outside of the ma chine and then put in place as an entirety.

In order to provide for the shift of the sub-levers 14 with the type bars, the axis of the pivots 41 is located substantially in the plane which includes the upper and lower ends of the links 13. In the present instance these links all lie substantially in the same vertical plane and, that being the case, the pivots 41 are also located in said vertical plane. Said pivots are, therefore, in the line of intersection of the vertical plane of the links 13 with the horizontal plane of the axis of the platen. It is, of course, not essential that the links 13 stand vertically nor that they all stand in the same plane but it is preferable that each of said links, when the shiftframe is in its middle position, stand in such position that its longitudinal axis if prolonged would pass through the axis of said shift frame. It will be understood that this condition would be fulfilled if the links 13 stood in a vertical plane and were of different lengths, which they would be if'the bar 32 were segmental instead of straight. I prefer to have the upper ends of the links 13 nearer than the printing point to the axis of the pivots 41, so that the motion of said upper ends front and back due to the case shift, is but slight. This is of especial advantage in a double shift machine like the present; that is, in a machine having more than two positions for the .shiftable part and where, therefore, the two extreme positions are farther apart than they need be in a single shift machine.

Since the joints 140 at the rear ends of the sub-levers 14 are so arranged that normally, that is, when the sub-leversare in their normal positions, the pivotal axes of those joints are in a plane which contains, and is angularly movable on, the pivotal axis of the shift frame, the sub-levers may be connected to the'key levers by, means including links pivoted to the sub-levers, and these links may be so arranged as to prevent the sub-levers fromtransmitting motion to the key levers in the shifting operations. Preferably the arrangement of the links would be such t at both ends of each link would be cut by aid 1 ane when the shift frame is in the ositio. which is midway between the. extre, e poa- "ions to and from which it is shiftabmeans for shifting the shift frame to its several positions, although it will be understoodthat, as far as the features already described are concerned, any suitable means canbe provided for this purpose. As shown in the-drawings the shift frame is normally maintained in its middle position, and two case shift keys 53 and 54 are provided, the former marked Cap, and the latter Fig. The key 53 is adapted to move the shift frame downward and the key '54 is adapted to move said frame upward. baid keys are mounted on the forward ends of ilever arms 55 and 56, which lever arms are made of sheet metal and at their rear ends are secured to forwardly extendingarms of two bell-cranks 57 and 58 by means of rivets 59. Said two bell-cranks are pivoted side by side, on a screw 60 passing through a fixed'support 61 which is secured by means of adjust-- ing screws 62 to the cross bar 21 that con- 'stitutes the support for the key lever system. Said support 61 consists of a bar or block-like piece of metal having a transverse fulcrum rib 63 projecting from its under side and bearing against the upper surface of the bar 21. The screws 62 pass upward, through the bar 21 and are threaded into the piece 61. The screw 60 can be nicely adjusted as 'to' elevation by loosening one of the screws 62 and tightening the other.

The bell-crank 58 to-which the shift key lever arm 56 is connected, has the form best shown in Fig. 2 where it will be seen that near its upper end said lever armis formed with a curve 65 for the purpose of avoiding interference with the action of the other shift key, and above said curve the lever arm is curved back upon itself in such a way as to form an inclined cam slot 66 adapted to cotiperate with a follower roller 67 ournaled on a pivot screw 68 which is threaded into the left-hand side bar 37 of the shift frame. The construction is such that when the key 54 is depressed the upright arm of the bellcrank 58, moves toward the front of the machine and the cam slot 66 acting on the roller 67 cams the shift frame to its upper position. If a printing key lever be now depressed the type bar will print from the lowermost one of the types 17, as shown in when the key 53 is depressed the shift frame One part of my inventia '1 consists in the is moved to its lowermost position such that the uppermost one of its types 17, as shown in Fig. 6.

When the parts are in normal position as shown in Fig.2, the roller 72 rests on a horizontal ledge or shoulder 75 formed on the arm. of the lever 57, and the-roller 67 lies directly beneath a horizontal ledge or shoulder 76 on the lever 58, said shoulders constituting dwells in the respective cams. Theconstruction is such that the two rollers are in efiect held between the two horizontal shoulders or dwells 75 and 76 so that motion of the shift frame either up or down from its middle position is positively prevented, It will be seen that an adjust ment of the fulcrum screw62 resulting in a .bodily movement of both bell-cranks '57 and 58 up and down together, adjusts the type bar segement with relation to the platen 5 for all three of the positions of said segment. In order to limit the downward mo.- tion of the keys 53 and 54, two stop screws 77 are threaded through the bar 21 beneath the arms 57, 58. Said stop screws can be adjusted up or down and retained in adjusted position by set screws 78.

Various changes can be made in the details of construction and arrangement without departing from my invention.

swinging motion causes a type bar to present different types to said platen and such that said motion causes said links to swing substantially about their points of connection with said key levers as pivots.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combina-' tionof a platen, a frame mounted to swing about an axis one point of which is substantially in a line which passes through the printing point and intersects the axis of the platen at right angles, type-carrying means mounted in said swinging frame, sublevers also mounted in said swinging frame and connected with said type-carrying means, a stationary frame, key levers mounted in said stationary frame, and links connecting s'aid key leverswithsaid sub-levers, said links being connected with said sublevers substantially between the axis of said swinging frame and the points of connection of said links with said key levers.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a frame mounted to swing substantially about an axis in a plane that includes the printing point and the axis of said platen, type-carrying means mounted in said frame, sub-levers also mounted in said swinging frame and connected with said type-carrying means, a stationary frame, key levers mounted in said stationary frame, and links connecting said key levers with said sub-levers, said links being connected with said sub-levers substantially be? tween the axis of said swinging frame and the points of connection of said links with said key levers.

4. In a frontstrike typewriter, the combination of a platen, a series of type bars arranged to strike against the front face of said platen, a series of sub-levers connected with said type bars, a series of key levers, links connecting said key levers with said sub-levers, said links disposed substantially in a "ertical plane, and a swinging frame in which said type bars and sub-levers are mounted, said frame swinging substantially about an axis that lies in the horizontal plane through the printing point and the axis of the platen and that lies also substantially in said vertical plane.

5. In a front strike typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a series of front strike type bars, a frame in which said type bars are mounted,"said frame arranged to swing about an axis directly behind the printing point and the axisof the platen, sub-levers mounted'in said frameto a sub-lever vertically and adapted to swing horizontally with said swinging frame. I

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a frame arranged to swing about an axis at the rear of the printing point and of the axis of said platen, type bars pivoted in said frame in an arc beneath the front face of said platen and each of said type bars carrying three types, sublevers pivoted in said frame and connected with said type bars, key levers mounted in the stationary framework of the machine and connected by links with said sub-levers, the length of each of said links extending when said frame is in a middle position substantially in a straight line from said key,

leverto the axis of said frame and having its upper end closer to said axis than the pivots of said type bars, whereby, when said frame is swung for case shift, the upper ends of said links move slightly to the front or rear of said axis.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a series of key levers of the first order, a series of links connected with the rear ends of said key levers and extending upward therefrom, a series of sub-levers arranged above said key levers and having rearwardly extending arms connected with said links, front strike type bars connected with the other arms of said sub-levers, said type bars pivoted in an arc beneath the front face of said platen and said sub-levers pivoted in a straight line in the rear of said type bars, and a swinging shift frame in which the sub-levers and type bars are pivoted, said frame mounted to swing substantially about an axis in the rear of the printing point and of' the axis of the platen and in a plane which substantially includes said series of links.

8. Ina typewriting machine, the combination of a series of type bars, aplaten, a swinging shift frame in which said type bars are pivoted and which is mounted on a fixed pivotal axis on which the frame and type bars move angularly when the type bars are shifted, key levers for operating said type bars, and connecting devices between said key levers and type bars, including parts mounted on said shift frame, pivot-joints the axes of which are normally ina plane which also contains the pivotal axis of the shift frame, and links connected to said parts by said pivot-joints.

9, In a typewriting machine, the combination or a series of type bars, a platen, a swinging shift frame in which said type bars are pivoted, said frame being angularly movable to and from three positions, key levers, anddevices connecting the key levers with the type bars, said devices including sub-levers mounted on the shift frame, links pivoted to the sub-levers, andother pivots between the links and the key levers, the axes of the pivots which connect the links to the sub-levers being normally in a plane which also contains the pivotal axis of the menses shift frame, and the axes of the other pivots being in that plane when the shift frame is in its middle position.

10. in a typewriting machine, the combination of a series of type bars, a platen, a swinging shift frame in which said type bars are pivoted, said frame being angularly movable to and from three positions, key levers, sub-levers mounted on the shift frame, links connecting the sub-levers with the type bars, and other links pivoted to the sublevers and to the key levers, the axes of the pivots which connect the last mentioned links to the sub-levers being normally in a plane which also contains the pivotal axis of the shift frame, and themixes of the pivots which connect these links to the key levers being in that plane when the shift frame is in its middle position. I

11. In a front strike typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a type bar segment, front strike type bars mounted on said segment and each carrying a plurality of types, links extending approximately horizontally from said type bars, sub-levers having arms with which said links are connected and said sub-levers also having approximately horizontal arms, a series of key levers, upright links connecting said key levers with said horizontal arms, a support for said sub-levers rigidly connected with said type bar segment, and means for imparting a swinging case shift movement to said sublever support and type bar segment substantially about an axis, said axis being in the line of intersection of the horizontal plane through the printing point with the plane in which said upright links are situated.

12. In a typewriting machine comprising as parts thereof a platen and a series of type bars, the combination with, said parts, of two pivoted levers on which depend the normal relative positions of said parts, one

of said levers adapted to efiect one relative case shift of said parts, and the other of said levers adapted to effect another relative case shift of said parts, a common support for said levers, and means for adjusting said common support thereby to regulate the three relative positions of said parts.

13. lln a typewriting machine comprising as parts thereof a platen and a series of type bars, the combination with said parts, of two levers which have a common pivotal axis and on which depend the normal relative positions of said parts, one of said levers arranged to effect one relative case shift of said parts, and the other lever adapted to efl'ect another relative case shift of said parts, and means for adjusting said common pivotal axis thereby to regulate three relative positions of said paiits.

14:. In a typewriting machine comprising as parts thereof a platen and a series of type bars, the combination with said parts, of two pivoted levers on which depend the normal relative positions of said parts, one adapted to eflect one relative case shift of said parts, and the other of said levers adapted to effect another relative case shift of I said parts, a common support for said levers,

means for adjusting said common support thereby to regulate the three relative positions of said parts, and separate adjustable means for regulating the extent of motion of said levers.

15. In a typewriting machine comprising as parts thereof a platen and a series of type bars, the combination of a shift key, a cam lever operated by said shift key, a follower for said cam, said cam and follower arranged to effect a relative case shift of said parts and the normal relative positions of said parts being dependent on said cam and follower, means for adjusting the fulcrum of said lever, and a separately adjustable stop for limiting the motion of said ever. I

16. In a typewriting machine comprising as parts thereof a platen and a series-of type bars, the combination of two cam levers, one arranged to effect a relative case shift between said parts in one direction from normal position and having a dwell which normally prevents relative motion in thatdirection, and the other of said cam levers arranged to effect a relative shift of said parts in the opposite direction and having a dwell that normally prevents relative motion in such opposite direction, and means for simultaneously adjusting the fulcrums of said levers.

Signed at the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 4th. day of February, A. D. 1914.

ARTHUR W. SMITH.

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. SMITH, M. 1*. Hannwnnnn. 

